CHAIRMAN Lorraine Rogers believes Tranmere Rovers face their most difficult Cup mission in recent years this weekend when they take on Brigg Town in the FA Cup first round.

CHAIRMAN Lorraine Rogers believes Tranmere Rovers face their most difficult Cup mission in recent years this weekend when they take on Brigg Town in the FA Cup first round.

Tranmere boast an unmatchable record of giant-killing in knockout competitions in the past two seasons when they twice reached the quarterfinals of the FA Cup and went all the way to the final of the Worthington Cup in 2000. Along the way they claimed the scalps of no less than seven Premiership clubs.

But tomorrow Tranmere are cast as the Goliaths when the part-timers of Brigg from the Northern Counties East Premier Division visit Prenton Park.

Rogers said: "We know more than any other League club the unexpected can and does happen in Cup football.

"This time our visitors are the underdogs with nothing to lose and the one thing we can predict about

Brigg Town is that their players coaching staff, directors and supporters will be totally motivated for 90 minutes.

"That's why we could find it the hardest Cup challenge we have faced.

"While we always say we must not be distracted by Cup games if it is at the expense of our League programme, we have to see this as a big game."

Progress in the oldest and bestloved knockout competition in football won't just be generating excitement this season.

Significant prize money will reward the winners of ties in every round as a consequence of a new TV deal with Sky Sports and the BBC.

Rogers said: "The new TV deals that came into effect this season in the Premiershipand the Nationwide Football League caused the FA to reconsider how it redistributes the proceeds in the FA Cup.

"So for the first time this season there is prize money for the winners of each tie.

"There are also increased TV facility fees bringing them closer in line to the figures for the Premiership and Nationwide Football League games.

"The prize money for getting through the first round is #20,000, a significant sum for ourselves as well as Brigg, and the prize for winning the competition this season is #4 million.

"As for TV fees a live game in the third to sixth rounds is worth #265,000 per club.

"If these arrangements had been in place over the last two years then we at Tranmere would have reaped quite a windfall through our progress to the quarter-final of the FA Cup, both of which were broadcast live."